SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1458

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                 Transportation, April 3, 1997

Title:  An act relating to licensing.

Brief Description:  Regulating vehicle and vessel licensing.

Sponsors:  Representatives Zellinsky, Fisher and Robertson; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  4/2/97, 4/3/97 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Prince, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Goings, Haugen, Heavey, Horn, Jacobsen, Morton, Oke, Patterson and Rasmussen.

Staff:  Jeff Doyle (786-7322)

Background:  The law requiring vehicle dealers to maintain a certain display area for their vehicles was repealed, but references to this display area requirement are still found in the statute regulating wholesale and listing dealers.

The Department of Licensing (DOL) was given the authority to deny a license to any tow truck operator whose application for license is a mere subterfuge to conceal the identity of the real applicant whose license has been denied, suspended or revoked.  This law has not been extended to cover vehicle and vessel dealers who attempt to obtain a license by concealing their real identity.

Summary of Amended Bill:  All references to display area requirement are removed to reflect changes made by the Legislature in previous sessions.

DOL=s authority to deny an application to a person attempting to conceal his or her true identity because he or she has had a license denied, suspended or revoked is extended to vehicle and vessel dealers.

DOL is directed to make available its database needed to properly calculate the motor vehicle excise tax owed for car purchasers.  Dealers are allowed to obtain vehicle titles directly from the bank when a customer has paid off the lienholder.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  DOL is required to make certain data available to a third party vendor, who in turn will provide excise tax information to car dealers.

Dealers are allowed to obtain vehicle titles directly from lienholders when the lien has been paid off.  If the bank does not remit the title within the prescribed time period, the dealers may seek a monetary penalty plus actual damages and fees.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill will make display area requirements for wholesale and listing dealers consistent with retail dealer display area requirements.  With passage of the RTA tax, the calculations to determine the proper motor vehicle excise tax owed has grown too complex.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Jim Boldt, WA State Auto Dealers; David Miller, Versa Data.